Les Heures de Parfum

The Art of Creation

Mathilde Laurent has been a Cartier perfumer since 2005 and is among the most talented around.
Let’s meet this rare in-house perfumer striving to create signature fragrances unfettered by norms and conventions.

4 Questions for Mathilde Laurent

What is your role as an in-house perfumer?

It is my responsibility to align Cartier perfumery with the level of excellence of the Maison by harnessing its savoir-faire and formulas.

But above all, my role is to replicate the Maison’s creative and singular style in fragrance.

How would you describe this Cartier style for perfumes?

First of all, dynamic. A Cartier fragrance must pay tribute to the Maison’s pioneering spirit and shake up the world of perfumery, which is still so conventional.

Cartier’s style also encapsulates excess and simplicity. The Maison’s fragrances are created around a very pure and majestic central accord.

How do you create a fragrance?

A fragrance starts life as an idea. At the beginning, the idea is really only intellectual. Then you have to put it in a bottle, so that everyone can smell it.

Where do you find your inspiration?

My inspirations have always been very diverse; they can be literary, as well as visual. I get a lot of inspiration from photographs, for example.